Yoon orders unlimited air-conditioned buses for Jamboree participant to cope with heat wave

President Yoon Suk Yeol instructed the government to provide an unlimited number of air-conditioned buses and refrigerator trucks to protect participants of the World Scout Jamboree suffering from the heat wave. He also approved using the government’s reserve funds to provide aid for the event, Yoon’s office said Friday.

While refusing to disclose the exact number, the organizer of the Saemangeum Jamboree said there were over 108 scouts who suffered from heat-related illnesses at Wednesday‘s opening ceremony.

The total number of patients who had been treated during the opening ceremony, including patients with headaches, stomachache and muscle damage is 139, Choi Chang-haeng, secretary-general of the Jamboree Committee, said at a press briefing at the Jamboree Press Center earlier in the day on Thursday.

Amid growing concerns over the safety of the participants, the emergency control tower under the Interior Ministry raised the heat wave response level from the first stage to the second stage as of 5 p.m. Thursday, as more than 108 regions are likely to see the maximum sensory temperature of over 35 degrees Celsius for the next three days.

It is the first time that the second stage response level had been issued due to the heat wave. The ministry also announced that it will immediately grant 3 billion won (US$2.3 million) as a disaster safety budget for the Jamboree event to North Jeolla Province.

The temperature soared to 34 degrees Celsius on Wednesday at the Jamboree site, exposing participants to the scorching heat in the middle of mud land that has no natural shade to protect them from direct sunlight and heat.

The Jamboree Committee plans to secure an additional 30 doctors and 60 nurses to promptly respond to heat-related illnesses and other emergencies.

On concerns growing over participants’ health during the event, Choi stressed that the Jamboree Committee is in control of the situation, saying that it could have happened in a Jamboree in any country. Choi suggested that the K-pop event during the opening ceremony, which drained the teenage participants’ energy, may have contributed to a surge in patients. At around 8 p.m. on Wednesday, when the opening ceremony began, the temperature was still above 28 C even after sunset.

To keep scouts safe from weather hazards, the Jamboree Committee will suspend some outdoor programs and focus on water activities, indoor activities and Korean cultural experience programs outside the Jamboree site to prevent the teens from being excessively exposed to the heat. Additional air conditioning and cooling devices will also be provided, Choi added.

Meanwhile, it was reported that the Jamboree Committee came under criticism as it was found to have neglected police and fire authorities’ requests to halt the opening ceremony as the number of heat-related patients increased. The organizing committee did not immediately stop the event, cancelling only the fireworks, and continued the event for an additional 20 minutes, according to local reports.

The organizing committee explained that it was to avoid confusion and ensure the safety of the participants. “If we suddenly stopped the ceremony, the teens could have become more frightened and the panic might lead to additional safety problems,” said Choi.

In addition to the scouts’ heat-induced health problems, hygiene issues including spoiled food and unmanaged facilities have also been raised. According to reports, eggs with mold were given to some participants.

“The eggs with mold were immediately discarded, and no participants ate them. We will thoroughly investigate the distribution process,” an organizing committee official said.

The local media reports have also pointed out the insufficient number of toilets, showers and changing rooms, as well as the poor condition of the facilities.

Family members of scouts participating in the Jamboree have been raising concerns on social media. “Basic needs are not enabled with no tents, food or water provided. This is scary and disappointing,” one parent who sent her two daughters to the Jamboree commented.

Son‘s troop spent their 1st night of Jamboree in a school gym due to delayed arrival. Spending their 2nd night on the ground because they don’t have a campsite, tents nor cots or gear. They seem to be in good spirits for now, but I‘m heartbroken for his dream to be turning into a nightmare,” another parent who had sent her son to the Jamboree commented on the World Scout Jamboree Facebook page.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo ordered Gender Equality Minister Kim Hyun-sook to “stay at the Jamboree site until the end of the event and ensure the safety of 43,000 participants from 159 countries.”

Han also ordered the Defense Ministry to promptly dispatch military doctors and personnel to support facility repair and expansions. To cool down, more ice will be provided to participants, Han added.

Han stressed that all information should be transparently informed to the public and the media through regular briefings every day.

Gender Equality Vice Minister Lee Ki-soon held a press conference Thursday afternoon and confirmed that one country had sent an official letter to the Korean government, raising concerns about the weather and facility management. “We cannot disclose information about the country (which sent the letter),” said Lee.

Regarding rumors that some members of the participating countries have returned to their home countries, Lee stressed that “no country has withdrawn from the event.”

On reports that medications for heat-related illnesses have run out, Lee said, “We are trying to secure related medications and drugs as quickly as possible.” The Jamboree Committee has reportedly requested help from nearby hospitals and the North Jeolla Provincial Office.

Lee added that 240 additional cleaning personnel will be deployed to manage showers and toilets, and the number of cleaning times will be expanded from three times a day to once an hour.

“The monsoon season was longer and the heat wave was more severe than expected. We are sorry for the difficulties and insufficient management,” Lee said.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo chaired an unscheduled Cabinet meeting at Yoon’s request to discuss the budget for the annual Jamboree, which draws more than 43,000 teenagers from 158 countries.

Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, a member of the Jamboree’s organizing committee, issued an emergency directive for mobile hospitals, ambulances and air-conditioning units. The previous day, the ministry raised its heat warning to the highest level for the first time in years.

“We’re dealing with an unprecedented heat wave, but this can’t be an excuse. We will use every resource to make sure that the scouts finish what they have come for without any safety issues,” Han said, adding that Yoon is fully briefed on the issue.

The South Korean leader, away on vacation, had instructed officials to provide air-conditioned buses and trucks carrying cold water for the giant camp, hours ahead of the Cabinet meeting.

“We need better food right away and interagency support to deal with problems at the camp,” Yoon was quoted as saying by his office during a phone conversation with Prime Minister Han and Interior Minister Lee.

Safety concerns have already prompted organizers to reduce outdoor activities at the camp, a gathering that takes place every four years in different locations around the world. Korea spent six years preparing for the in-person gathering at a campsite built on land reclaimed from the sea.

Previously organizers brushed off overall health worries over the treeless area lacking shelter from the heat, saying no other options were viable. A sudden cancellation could lead to greater panic, they said.

“The camp participants came from afar, and have not yet adjusted to the local weather,” Choi Chang-haeng, secretary-general of the Jamboree’s organizing committee, said at a press briefing.

Choi Si-young and Lee Jung-youn 

The Korean Herald

Asia News Network